Putin's plan for Ukraine after ceasefire? Elections and political division, sources say

The danger lies in the fact that some Russian demands, for example, in the humanitarian sphere, may appear entirely acceptable in the eyes of the United States and even Europe, while provoking outrage inside Ukraine itself, at least on social media.

According to the sources, such destabilization would also play into Moscow's hands.

According to an RBC-Ukraine source close to the presidential administration, Russia has a clear plan in the event of a freeze in the war or a reduction in its intensity, for example, without missile strikes.

"Their plan is to push Ukraine toward elections, create internal political fragmentation, weaken the country from within, and then achieve the same Russian objectives either through political means or by restarting a full-scale war. But this time, Ukraine would be significantly weaker and more fragmented internally," the source said.

At the same time, this remains a relatively distant prospect for now.

"If there is something we should believe in, this is a good moment to believe that the momentum is beginning to shift in our favor," another government source told the media outlet.

The issue of elections in Ukraine remains one of the most sensitive topics on the negotiation agenda.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly stressed that elections are impossible under martial law, and this position has been confirmed by Ukraine's parliament.

At the same time, holding elections immediately is one of the points of a 20-point peace plan developed by Ukrainian and US negotiators.

Ukraine's Central Election Commission has said that about six months would be the optimal preparation period.